Cable modems (CMs) allow end-users to connect to networks, such as the Internet, through cable television lines. In a manner similar to traditional telephone modems, CMs modulate between digital signals from an attached computing device to analog signals that are transmitted over the cable lines. Unlike traditional telephone dial-up modems, however, CMs may provide significantly greater throughput.
CMs are generally installed locally to the end-user, and communicate with a cable modem termination system (CMTS) at a local cable television company office. Multiple CMs may share a single physical communication channel with the CMTS. The CMs can receive signals from and send signals to the CMTS, but not directly to other CMs on the channel.
Over the past decade, the popularity of CM systems has risen dramatically. As the popularity of CM networks increases and, thus, the number of CMs in the network increases, system designers seek ways to reduce bandwidth in order to allow CMTSs to accommodate greater numbers of CMs.
Therefore, there exists a need for improved techniques for transmitting data in a cable modem network.